


You're Here (be here)

by Fey_Nikola



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Critical Role Bang, Cuddle Pile, Episode 68-71 Spoilers, Gen, POV Third Person Limited, Pre-Polymachina, Sleepovers, death mentions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-09-01 11:39:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8623156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fey_Nikola/pseuds/Fey_Nikola
Summary: Grog is always on Pike's side, Percy might be resisting, Scanlan is up for anything, Keyleth wants to be sneaky, Vax is a minor instigator, and Vex and Trinket are late to the party.(Or, The One Where Half of Vox Machina Talk About Death A Whole Lot, As Seen By Grog Strongjaw.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> First thing I've written in a good long while. Done for the [CritRoleBang Tumblr](http://www.critrolebang.tumblr.com). Fabulous art by [Meglm](http://meglm.tumblr.com/post/153579501785/here-is-my-drawing-for-the-critrolebang-you-can)

“Why exactly did I need to be abducted, Grog?” Percy asked the question, upside down, to Grog's back. He'd stopped wiggling at last, and it seemed like now was the part where he tried to talk his way out. Too bad for him, Grog was a goliath on a mission.

“Pike said to make sure you came to see her right away. I'm just helping you out.” 'Cause Grog was a good friend like that.

“You _really_ don't have to.” Percy insisted. From his tone, Grog figured that Percy didn't expect him to listen. He almost wanted to drop Percy, just to prove him wrong. But Percy was probably trying to trick Grog into letting him go, since he was always trying to be tricky. Grog figured if he did, Percy'd just run off, and that'd make Pike sad. No way was Grog letting _that_ happen.

So Grog hoisted Percy higher onto his shoulder, digging his muscle into Percy's guts. Grinned wider when Percy gave a pained gasp. He deserved it, for trying to be tricky. Grog was way too smart to fall for something like that! And maybe he gave an extra little dig, just for what Percy'd wrote in his 'If I'm dead' letter about how he would've won their fight.

Grog totally could've got the skull from him. He'd been just about to, before Allura showed up. Then they wouldn't have had to worry about the dragons at all. Not that he minded getting to kill them or anything. Vox Machina was kicking plenty of dragon ass, after all! Still, lots of innocent people were getting hurt.  _Wilhelm_ had nearly got hurt. Breaking the skull would've been better. Stupid Percy and his tricks.

“Oi Grog, where're you going?”

Grog stopped and looked down on instinct. It'd been Scanlan's voice in the foyer, but his best friend was nowhere to be seen. Must be invisible. “Doing a favor for Pike.” He said to the air. A flash of movement, and Grog looked up. Scanlan was just coming down the stairs, two of his servants following him. He waved his hand and the blue guys- girls- er, they floated off.

“Carrying Percy around?” Scanlan skipped the last few steps, craning his neck to the side to see Percy's face. “Well, he was dead just a few days ago. I could see him needing a break.”

Grog felt Percy brace his forearms against Grog's back as he twisted to look at Scanlan. “I really don't. Honestly, I just wanted to finish seeing to my guns and get some more ammunition cast before morning.” Grog gave Percy a good shake, getting a satisfying yelp out of him as he felt Percy's forehead smash into his back.

“Quit squirming, Pike's waiting.” Grog started heading back to the room Pike had prepared. Scanlan followed, tapping on Grog's knee once he caught up. Grog leaned down and hoisted Scanlan up to his other shoulder.

When he did that for Pike, she liked being put on his shoulder and then shuffled a little to get comfy. Scanlan'd rather be lifted up, and then sit himself down however he felt like. This time Scanlan faced backward, kicking his heels against Grog's shoulder blade.

“Hmm, sounds like no tinkering for you tonight! Wonder what Pike's got in store for you?” Scanlan said. Grog felt Percy trying to brace himself again, and squeezed his arm down, crushing Percy's guts back into his shoulder. Scanlan laughed, and Grog wished he could see Percy's face. “Hopefully not anything quite so rough. We are facing a dragon tomorrow.”

“I can only hope.” Percy wheezed, kicking at Grog's ribs in a halfhearted protest. It almost tickled.

The thing Grog liked best about Scanlan's mansion - besides the chicken and the training room and the fact that he could totally wreck  _everything_ inside it and no one would really get mad at him – was that he never had to duck to go through the doors. All of them were either already big enough for him, or would grow to be big enough whenever he needed to use them. And it happened just because Scanlan thought he'd like it.

Best friend  _ever_ .

Pike was just finishing throwing down a few more pillows onto her pile of blankets when they came in. Scanlan put his elbow on Grog's head as he turned to greet Pike, so he felt the twitch when Scanlan recognized what'd been done to the room. The Table they'd put Percy on was pushed off to the side, and Grog was determined to ignore it.

“Pike... seriously?” Scanlan's greeting was more like a plea, and Grog put his free hand up to make sure Scanlan didn't hurt himself as he slid down. “I mean, it wasn't exactly fun the first time we did it. And isn't this kinda creepy?”

Pike tried to swipe her hair out of her eyes, but it fell back into place. “We~ell, yeah? I mean, kinda.” She laughed and Grog couldn't help but step toward her. She smiled at him, brave and strong, but still a little sad. “I just wanted- I mean. We could all die tomorrow. I just wanted us to all be together one last time, you know?”

“Yeah, Pike.” Grog answered right away, even if he didn't really figure it would matter. If they were all dead by tomorrow, having a sleepover in the same place as they'd done when Percy was dead really wouldn't make a difference. But if she said she wanted to, Grog wasn't gonna argue. Scanlan stayed quiet for a bit longer, him and Pike looking at each other. 

“Okay Pikey.” Scanlan sighed, and nodded, and smiled at her. “If you're sure.”

“Yeah,” Pike bit her lip. “I'm sure.”

There was something going on, but Grog wasn't getting it. Maybe it was gnome thing.

Scanlan clapped his hands together, and Grog felt Percy jump a little. “Okay then! I'll go get the others. Not inviting Kima, though. Let me know if Percy starts freaking out while I'm gone!”

“Oh god, where are we?” Percy sounded like he'd given up, but Grog could feel how tense he'd gotten. Being tricky again.

“Don't worry about it.” Scanlan said as he walked back out into the foyer. “You were dead, you probably won't remember a thing!”

“That's comforting.”

Pike giggled and pointed at the pile of blankets she'd built up on the floor. There was no sheet draped over top like a tent this time, but it would've been real hard for Pike to get one up on her own. Grog walked right up to the edge, put both his hands on Percy's hips and lifted the human into the air.

There was a second where Percy could see into Grog's eyes, one second where Grog saw him realize what was about to happen.

Just as the first sound of Percy's 'NO' started to form in Percy's throat, Grog gave him a nice, big grin.

And then tossed him.

It was a beautiful scream. Shame it didn't last long.

The thud was loud, and Percy's whimper was music to Grog's ears. “Oops. Guess those blankets weren't as thick as I thought.”

Pike smacked his knee. “G- **RO** -G!”

Percy rolled onto his side, rubbing his ass and groaning.

“What? I aimed for a pillow!” He'd hit it too. Or, Percy's head had hit it. Same difference.

“You _know_ what I mean.” Pike rolled her eyes at him. She carefully picked her way over the pillows and the folds of the blankets to Percy, still on his side. “Are you okay, Percy?”

“Ah, that's going to bruise, isn't it?” Percy muttered to himself. He rolled onto his back, rubbing at his stomach now instead. “Not to worry, probably the worst thing wounded is my pride. But Pike, why did you have Grog manhandle me over here? I would've come if you'd just asked.”

Pike sat down beside him, moving his arms aside and poking at Percy's stomach gently. “I really don't think you would have, Percy. Not if I'd just told you.” Her hands glowed a little. Grog knew how warm that light was, watched Percy sigh with relief. Pike waited until he'd relaxed a little more and then her little monster grin couldn't hide itself anymore.

“Because I want all of us to sleep together tonight.”

Grog nearly hurt himself keeping a straight face. Percy looked like his brain'd misfired, tried to fix itself, and then broken.

“Wh- wha- I _beg_ your pardon?”

Grog was proud that he kept himself together longer than Pike did. A whole six seconds longer too, so really, it was extra-impressive. Plus, Grog was pretty sure he'd never seen Percy's face go that red before.

“Alright, yes, ha ha, very funny.” Percy sat up, covering his face. 

“Sorry, sorry, I just-” Pike waved her hands and tried to be serious. “I didn't get to before, and now I just really want _everybody_ to get the chance to sleep with you.” Pike broke again, erupting into more giggles and falling against Percy and then down to the blankets. 

Percy's rolled his eyes. “If that's all-” He started getting up, but Grog went to one knee so he could reach and push Percy back. It was nice, pushing Percy around. Weird that he didn't fight back more.

“Hey, hold on a minute. It happened while you were dead and all.” Grog said, and Percy fell back to sit next to Pike again, impatient but listening. “Keyleth was tapped out, she needed to sleep so she could get us back home, to Whitestone.” Something in Percy's face changed. “So Scanlan made the mansion, yeah? But Vax was all, 'I don't wanna sleep by myself, lets make a blanket fort, don't leave Percy alone, wah wah'. So we humoured him. And Pike wasn't here for that, so I guess she just wants her turn.”

“So you.” Percy's face was doing a weird thing. “You all slept. With my corpse.”

“Yeah.” Grog shrugged and pointed at The Table. “That's where you were. We were down here. Vax wanted to like, cuddle with your body and stuff, he said 'cause of his god or some shit. But I said no way, that'd be gross, Percy wouldn't like it.”

Percy tried not to smile. “Yes, I'm sure Vax absolutely did that. Thank you for defending my honour, Grog.”

Grog sniffed and sat down on the blanket properly. “You're welcome.”

“Boots, Grog.” Pike poked him, and Grog grumbled but of course he tucked his feet up under his butt so they weren't on the blankets anymore. Pike patted his knee, then looked back to Percy. “I'm sorry for laughing, Percy. I guess, I really do want all of us to sleep together, while we still have the chance. Just, maybe not like _that_.” She paused, and her monster grin peeked out again. “Not right now, anyway.”

This time Percy laughed too. “Alright. I suppose I'll look forward to it?”

Pike nodded. “Damn right, you will.”

“What are we looking forward to?” Vax asked out of nowhere, and Grog was glad he wasn't the only one who jumped. He turned just in time to see Minxie pounce at him, and yelled her name just before she clobbered into him. Grog scratched her hard behind her ears while she growled, playfully biting at his hands and face. He rolled on top of her, trying to get the tiger into a headlock while she used her back feet to pretend to rip out his guts.

“Hey, HEY!”

Grog and Minxie both froze, one of her back paws in a  _very_ sensitive place and his hands wrapped around her neck. Scanlan stood at the edge of the blanket, hand cone lifted. “Do I have to separate you two?”

“Noooo.” Grog groaned as Minxie growled the same thing in tiger.

“Good. Because if Pike wants us all to spend the night here, some of us sleep better without tiger-fights happening in the middle of the bed.”

Minxie squirmed out from underneath Grog and only  _nearly_ sacked him on her way out, so he let her go peacefully. She moped off to Vax, who gave her chin scritches and a kiss on her nose.

“At least you got to sneak up on them.” He said, and Minxie did perk up. “So, we're having another sleepover?”

Percy sighed. “It would appear so.”

“Oh, cheer up Percy!” Pike booped his nose, then turned her sunshine smile on Vax. “I want everyone to be all together again, just in case. It'll be nice.”

“Well, I'm not going to be the spoilsport who disappoints Pickle.” Vax grabbed a pillow and flopped down on the far side from Percy.

“Hey, no boots on the blanket.” Grog poked at Vax, who curled up into a ball to get away.

“Why not? Percy still has his on.”

Pike pushed at Grog's side and he put his hand down. “He's the guest of honour, that's why. And your feet aren't exactly, um. Well, it might be better if you keep your boots on, Vax.”

“Well, there's an easy solution, then.” Vax said. And he put both his feet up on Grog's ass.

“Fuck off.” Grog shoved Vax's feet off.

“Nah.” Vax put his feet back up.

Just as Grog was getting to his hands and knees to  _make_ Vax stop, he saw Scanlan putting his hand cone to his mouth.

Grog had a choice to make.

He could take his chance, maybe get to break Vax's legs before Scanlan could do whatever magic he was doing and probably stop him. But breaking Vax's legs would make Pike sad, even if it would be  _really_ satisfying.

So, cleverly, Grog took the other option.

Scanlan's magical muttering cut off in a yelp as Grog grabbed him around the waist and swept him off his feet.

“Woah there big guy, not until _after_ the first date!” Percy and Vax both snorted in unison. Scanlan shrugged and put his hand cone away. “Okay, maybe _during_ the first date. But only if you ask nice!”

“Alright.” Grog said, easily holding Scanlan in one hand. Grog batted his eyelashes and opened his eyes wide like Pike did when she asked Wilhand for extra dessert. “Pretty please?”

Scanlan looked like he was thinking about it for a moment, then shrugged. “Sure, okay. Take me to bed, big boy.”

Vax laughed as Grog set Scanlan down, and then Grog and Pike were laughing too when Scanlan struck a pose. Minxie took that as a cue and flopped down over Grog's legs, pushing her nose under Vax's hand until he gave in and started giving her ear scritches.

Grog settled down himself, one arm under his head and the other pulling Scanlan in closer. There was mild grumbling, but Scanlan didn't actually try to move away so Grog knew that meant Scanlan didn't mind. Vax put one of his legs back up on Grog, but it was just his knee this time, so Grog let it be.

They settled, making soft noises and minor shifts as they got comfortable. One of the blue servants doused most of the candles and banked the fire. Grog could feel Scanlan's breath on his scalp. His nose had ended up pressed into Scanlan's sleeve, and Grog could smell a little bit of the musky perfume Scanlan liked to wear. It was strong stuff, had to be if it was going to last through a fight with a white dragon. Even then, Grog could still get a whiff of the particular scent of sweat and blood they all shared.

Vax dropped off quickly as per usual, and Minxie was soon giving rumbly-soft tiger snores. Scanlan's breathing was getting slower. Grog knew it would take Pike a little longer to drift off; she'd had a safe, comfy bed for the longest of any them. All the rest had learned to sleep when they could, or they might not get any.

And Grog was like that too, asleep and awake again right away if anything sounded like a fight. But tonight was different. He could hear it in the way Percy and Pike lay, how they breathed. Grog wanted to know what they were waiting for.

It didn't take forever, but it sure fucking felt like it.

At last, Pike whispered. “Are you okay?”

“Honestly, I'm still sore from coming back.” Percy answered, just as softly. “But it's not as bad as it was.”

“It's pretty bad though, isn't it? I remember.”

Grog wanted to give Pike a big hug, but then they might stop talking. He pushed his lower lip out as far as it would go instead, making his beard bristle a little against Scanlan's elbow.

Percy paused. “I suppose it's...”

Grog never could wait for Percy to find the ends of his thoughts. Pike wasn't a lot better than him, either.

“Yeah.”

“I don't remember much, really.”

Pike's voice was sad, and strong. “You remember what you need to.”

Percy laughed, bitter. Nearly silent. Grog felt Pike move toward Percy, heard clothes and blankets rustle. He'd better fucking feel better now, Pike gave the best fucking hugs  _ever_ .

More rustling, and then Pike moved back into place. “Another good night's sleep will help.”

Percy gave a little chuckle, much less bitter than before. “I don't know if I'm going to find that here.”

“Darling, wherever else would you look?”

Grog kept his eyes shut, pretending really hard to sleep as Trinket and Vex finally joined them.

“Hey Vex.”

“Hello Pike!”

They were keeping their voices down, but Vex was pretty enthusiastic when she leaned over Percy to give Pike a hug. Grog couldn't help his grunt when Vex headbutted him right in his floating ribs.

“Oops. Sorry Grog.” Vex patted his side. Grog pretended to snore. All three of them laughed a little, completely buying his act, and then he could feel them settling down.

Trinket came around and snuffled the back of Grog's head; he could tell Grog was awake. But Trinket didn't give anything away, just lay down as carefully as he could. Still ended up jostling everyone, but Scanlan just sleepily readjusted his head, and when Grog peeked down because he'd heard Vax give an 'oof', Scanlan had put a foot up on Vax's chest.

Best. Friend.  _Ever_ .

Grog couldn't help but give Scanlan a little extra squeeze, and Scanlan barely managed to open an exhausted eye and lift a hand to pat Grog's bicep before he was falling back asleep.

Pike's breathing had slowed down and she made a few last rustling noises as she nodded off, and Grog used it as cover to move so his head was lying on top of Trinket's paw. His claws had been stabbing Grog's forehead a little. Best not to wake up with one in his eye.

“How are you doing, Darling?” Vex's voice was breathy, like she was trying extra-hard to be quiet.

“I'm tired. Sore.” Percy paused. “Terrified of what could happen tomorrow, but that's practically everyday for us now, isn't it?”

Vex giggled, nervous. Grog remembered not to tense up. He hated when she sounded like that.

“Do you have enough potions?” Vex asked.

Percy made a little sound when he moved. “Maybe? We burned through quite a few against Anna.”

Vex moved suddenly and Trinket lifted his head, but Grog heard Percy catch her. “No, no, don't get up. Better to wait and check tomorrow before battle, so we can be sure. Besides, if you go now you'll make me wake Pike.”

“Oh, alright,” Vex lay back down and Trinket grunted and put his head back down. Pressed his cold nose into Grog's, and sighed. Grog agreed, but he was still being sneaky so he didn't snort back. “I'd just hate for us to go into this fight unprepared. We can't all be Grog and just shrug off a hit from an ancient dragon.”

Sometimes it worried Grog, how most of Vox Machina couldn't handle getting kicked around a bit like he could. Aside from Keyleth, but that was only when she went Elemental. Rest of the time she was as squishy as all the rest.

“No, I suppose we can't.”

But that was why they kept him around, 'cause taking the kicks was what Grog was best at. Well, that and killing things. And coming up with plans. And haggling. And, really, just everything.

“But really Percy, are you alright? When I died, it was...”

So it sucked fucking balls when the bad guys went and set traps that exploded everybody except him and shot up his family instead of him and disappeared so that he couldn't even  _do anything_ -

No.

_Fuck_ that.

Percy'd died, yeah, but Pike brought him back. Like she'd brought Grog back, like Kash brought Vex back, like that old priest brought Pike back. And Grog didn't think about Tiberius because that was-

Vex gave a barely-there laugh. “Well, it wasn't a barrel of laughs, that's for sure. I just want to make sure that, for you, it wasn't...”

No. They were going to kill Vorugal tomorrow, and Keyleth would kill Raishan, and they'd all kill Thordak and save everybody. That was all that mattered.

“I really don't remember anything. There was just the darkness, and Orthax.” Percy whispered, and Grog started paying attention again.

“He was laughing, saying things.” Percy swallowed, his throat clicking like it was too dry. “Making promises about all the terrible things he was going to do now that he'd gotten me.”

Grog flexed the arm under his head, felt Trinket shift a little above his hand.

“And I felt him. His claws, shearing little pieces off of me slowly, bit by bit in the darkness...”

Right, that's it.

Grog pulled his arm out from under Trinket's neck, turned his head so he could see. Pike was curled up with her back against Percy's side, one arm under her head and her hand behind so she could hang onto a handful of Percy's shirt, even asleep. Trinket had practically forced Percy to lay on top of him, cuddling him against his belly. Vex had her head on Trinket's fuzzy butt, and she'd left a very clear space between her and Percy.

They both looked at Grog when he turned over, wide-eyed and kinda guilty looking. Grog didn't figure there was anything to be guilty about. They just needed to stop thinking about such stupid shit.

“That's enough.”

Grog brought his hand around to grab the center of Percy's chest and dug his fingers in some. Shook him gently enough not to wake Pike, but enough to make sure the stupid guy was paying attention.

“It's over. Orthax is gone.”

Percy opened his mouth, made a small sound. Then he made that face where he was running through all his fancy words trying to figure out what to say, and ended up saying nothing. Grog let Percy's shirt go, but gave his chest another, even gentler shake.

“He's gone. You're safe here with us.” 

Percy's whole body flinched, but he didn't look away from Grog even when he gave a last little push.

“So don't go back there. Be _here_ now.”

Grog wasn't the first one to blink. Wasn't the one to turn away. But he did pretend not to see Percy's tears, 'cause he could be nice like that sometimes.

Pike shifted a little, made an unhappy mumbling sound. Grog's arm had ended up on top of her face. He raised his elbow which took the pressure off of her, but he couldn't stay like that all night.

“Don't worry Grog,” Vex said, and held up Percy's far hand. Their fingers were all tangled together, and she'd moved over so that gap between them wasn't so clear anymore. “I've got him.”

“Course you do.” Grog gave Vex a little leer, which she returned with extra eyebrow waggles and topped off with a wink.

Percy flushed a little as Grog moved his hand down Percy's body so that his bicep wasn't about to smother his little Pikey in their sleep. He knew he'd found the right spot when Pike gave a little sigh and wrapped her free arm over his, making him her partial blanket. It left his hand free to keep holding on to Percy's knee too.

Just in case.

Grog let his head rest on Trinket's paw again, and his eyes had mostly closed. But he heard the rustling as Percy shifted one last time. Could make out him pulling his and Vex's hands over his chest. Heard her breath catch, and then the sound of Vex's last move as she tucked her head against Percy's shoulder.

“Oh darling.” Vex's voice got thick and she had to take a moment to swallow. “Percy. I'm so glad you came back.”

Grog let Percy's hoarse voice be the last thing he heard as he fell asleep.

“I think... so am I.”


End file.
